Wisdom from the Publishing World from Jessica Marie Baumgartner

Welcome to the 2022 Author Series! Here we will continue to share the knowledge (often hard-won) from published authors as they tell us what they wish they’d known before they published or what they wish they could tell their prepublished selves.

Our first author of 2022 is Jessica Marie Baumgartner. I was fortunate to meet Jess when we were both on a fantasy writing panel at the Untitled Town Book and Author Fest in 2018. Her positive energy was contagious. I love her writing and appreciate her blog (which you can catch up on here.) If you follow my book reviews closely, you may remember my review of her 2021 release The Magic of Nature, an enlightening book that shows you how to embrace the power and wisdom of both the natural world and your own inner voice.

Jessica’s motto is: Adventure first, then write! When not running around exploring nature, she chases after multiple versions of herself and feeds animal babies. She is also the author of The Magic of Nature, Walk Your Path, the Embracing Entropy trilogy, The Golden Rule, and My Family Is Different. Her writing has won numerous accolades, including 4 Missouri Writer’s Guild Awards, and she writes for Evie Magazine and Witch Way Magazine. She’s a member of the Missouri Writer’s Guild and SCBWI. As a dyslexic Pagan, Jess loves writing about all types of people and the fun of a brain that works differently.

What I wish I could tell my pre-published self is a toughie.

I learn best through trial-and-error. I don't think there's any skill or advice that could have helped me when I first got into publishing, except to take your author name seriously. I wrote and submitted under my married name, and then after getting a divorce, my credits and work were all linked to the Baumgartner brand. Now that I'm remarried, I have so many names I just don't know what to do with them. It gets a little confusing come tax time. So if I had known then what I know now I would have probably written under my maiden name.  

Upcoming work:

I'm so excited for the New Year. There's a lot of great energy out there. In addition to my upcoming articles with Witch Way and Evie Magazine, I'm hoping to release a new spiritual book about how trees can draw out our instinctual power and enhance our connections to others, as well as working on a new children's book. There is always so much to share that I hope everyone feels all the sunshine!

Check out Jessica's books below:

The Magic of Nature: As technology has advanced, we've distanced ourselves from nature—but our connection still remains. Now is the time to reopen that line of communication. Featuring easy-to-use exercises, spells, rituals, and meditations, this enlightening book shows you how to embrace the power and wisdom of both the natural world and your own inner voice. Amazon buy link

The Golden Rule: The Golden Rule is for everyone. When a young girl starts to learn about the different ways to say it, she finds that every culture and faith has their own way to express the Golden Rule. Celebrate a love of diversity and acceptance in this beautifully illustrated tale. Amazon buy link

Walk Your Path: Jessica's spiritual journey has led her down a long path of magic and self-awareness. Wiccans and Pagans have rapidly increased in numbers since she found her way and many new practitioners are as young and inexperienced as she once was. This book details her story along with some helpful tips, practices, and even spells to get anyone started or offer information to the curious. Amazon buy link

Embracing Entropy Space Opera: As Earth dies, leaving its inhabitants struggling to survive, an alien race offers an unimaginable option: to relocate humans to their own planet on the far end of the universe. The Campbells, one of the last surviving families, quickly realize humanity's hope for survival may come with a price. Accepting a new way of life, acclimating to a new atmosphere, and trying to fight against a universe that seems set on tearing them apart offers many struggles. Can the Campbell's make it through, together? Amazon buy link

My Family is Different: Every parent one day comes to the discussion of how their family is different, whether they are mainstream or not. Join this little girl as she discovers the beauty of the world in a different facet of the jewel that we usually see and discover what she learns about herself and her friends along the way. Amazon buy link

Follow Jess’ adventures here:

Minds: https://www.minds.com/jessicamariebaumgartner/

Tumblr: https://jessica-marie-baumgartner.tumblr.com/

Gab: https://gab.com/JessicaMarieBaumgartner

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8558154.Jessica_Marie_Baumgartner

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00DT3RAF8

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-marie-baumgartner-a86832145/

Thanks so much kicking off the 2022 author series with us, Jess!